LED (light-emitting diode) string derived controller power supply

ABSTRACT

An LED lighting device includes an auxiliary power supply that supplies power to a control circuit of the LED lighting device that receives an input from a terminal of a light-emitting diode (LED) string of the lighting device that has a substantially lower voltage than the line voltage to which the lighting device is connected. The terminal may be within the LED string, or may be an end of the string. A linear regulator may be operated from the voltage drop across a number of the LEDs in the string so that the energy wasted by the auxiliary power supply is minimized. In other designs, the auxiliary power supply may be intermittently connected in series with the LED string only when needed. The intermittent connection can be used to forward bias a portion of the LED string when the voltage supplied to the LED string is low, increasing overall brightness.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to lighting device power sources such as those included within light-emitting diode (LED) lamps, and in particular to a control circuit for an LED lighting device power source that is powered from a LED string controlled by the control circuit.

2. Background of the Invention

Lighting control and power supply integrated circuits (ICs) are in common use in both electronic systems and in replaceable consumer lighting devices, e.g., light-emitting-diode (LED) and compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) replacements for traditional incandescent light bulbs.

In order to power LED lighting device from a typical AC power line voltage, the AC power line voltage must somehow be reduced to the relatively low voltage required by the LEDs in the lighting device. One manner in which the reduction is accomplished is to connect the LEDs in series to form a string, which is then supplied from a greater supply voltage. The greater supply voltage is generally provided from a switching power converter that controls the current provided to the LED string and also generally performs some voltage conversion to an intermediate voltage supplied to the LED string. The control circuits that operate the switching power supply typically also require a power supply voltage much less than the voltage of the AC line voltage. The power supply voltage is typically generated from a linear power supply. Generating the controller power supply voltage from the typical linear power supply wastes energy and adds some complexity to the circuit.

Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a LED lighting device that has improved energy efficiency and/or reduced complexity.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A control circuit for controlling power supplied to one or more lighting devices, an integrated circuit (“IC”) for controlling such a circuit and a method of operation of the circuit provide improved efficiency, reduced complexity and/or other benefits in LED lighting devices.

The circuit includes a switching power converter with a magnetic storage element and a switching element for controlling the current supplied to one or more strings of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) from a line voltage input source. The circuit supplies power to a control circuit that controls the switching element of the switching power converter from a terminal of the LED string, which may be a terminal within the LED string, or a terminal at the end of the LED string. The terminal has a voltage substantially less than a voltage of the input voltage source, so that the LED string provides at least a portion of the voltage drop from the voltage of the AC line source to the power supply input of the control circuit.

The foregoing and other objectives, features, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following, more particular, description of the preferred embodiment of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram depicting an exemplary lighting circuit.

FIG. 2 is a simplified schematic diagram showing an auxiliary power supply circuit that can be used in the lighting circuit of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a simplified schematic diagram showing another auxiliary power supply circuit that can be used in the lighting circuit of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a signal waveform diagram illustrating signals within the auxiliary power supply circuit of FIG. 3.

FIGS. 5-7 are simplified schematic diagrams showing other auxiliary power supply circuits that can be used in the lighting circuit of FIG. 1.

FIG. 8 is a timing diagram illustrating signals within a lighting circuit incorporating auxiliary power supply 20E of FIG. 7.

DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENT

The present disclosure reveals circuits and methods for powering and controlling strings of series-connected light-emitting diodes (LEDs), in which auxiliary power for control circuits that control a switching power supply within a lighting device including the LEDs is provided from an LED string itself. In particular embodiments, strings of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are packaged to replace incandescent lamps. A power supply voltage is supplied or generated from a terminal of an LED string within the lighting device, which may be a terminal within the LED string, or an end of the LED string. Since the voltage provided from the terminal is substantially greater than a voltage provided from the rectified AC line voltage at the input of the switching power supply, energy that would otherwise be wasted in producing the auxiliary power supply voltage is conserved.

Referring now to FIG. 1, an exemplary lighting circuit 5 is shown. An inductor L1 provides a magnetic storage element from which energy is supplied to a first lighting device LD1 and a second lighting device LD2 from a rectified line voltage source +V_(S). Rectified line voltage source +V_(S) is filtered to remove high frequency noise by capacitor C_(RECT) and provided from a bridge rectifier BR1 that is connected to a circuit that is, through a dimmer or directly, coupled to an AC line voltage circuit. Lighting devices LD1 and LD2 in the depicted embodiment are strings of series connected light-emitting diodes (LEDs) D1A-D1Z in lighting device LD1 and LEDs D2A-D2Z in lighting device LD2. Lighting circuit 5 uses a boost converter topology to provide a current I_(LED) through one or both of lighting devices LD1 and LD2. The voltage across lighting devices LD1 and LD2 is smoothed by capacitors C1 and C2, respectively. During a charging phase, a switching transistor N1 is activated to store energy in inductor L1 by conducting current through inductor L1. Transistor N1 is activated by a controller circuit 14 that is operated from the input power supply voltage +V_(S). After the energy in inductor L1 has reached the appropriate level, controller circuit 14 deactivates transistor N1, causing a boost flyback conduction through diode D1 and one or both of the LED strings within lighting devices LD1 and LD2, depending on whether a string control circuit 22 allows current to return from lighting devices LD1 and LD2 to ground. The energy level in inductor L1 can be determined by the current through inductor L1, which can be determined by detecting a voltage across sense resistor R_(S) that is provided to controller circuit 14. Synchronization signals provided between string control circuit 22 and controller circuit 14 may be coupled directly, or isolated by a coupling capacitor or transformer and may originate at either string control circuit 22 or controller circuit 14.

An integrated circuit (IC) 10 includes controller circuit 14 to operate switching transistor N1, which is illustrated as external to IC 10, but that alternatively may be included within IC 10. Controller circuit 14 may be a pulse-width modulator, or other suitable controller capable of controlling the amount of energy transferred by inductor L1, by the activation of switching transistor N1. The value may be controlled according to dimming values DIM, which may be provided by a source internal or external to integrated circuit 10 and may, alternatively or in combination, be optionally determined by a dimming detection circuit 12 that detects a dimming level of a dimmer controlling the line voltage from which power supply voltage +V_(S) is derived. A voltage sense circuit 16 can be provided to further inform controller circuit 14 of the magnitude of power supply voltage +V_(S). An auxiliary power supply 20 provides auxiliary power supply voltage V_(DD) to internal circuits of integrated circuit 10, in particular to controller circuit 14 which only needs to generate sufficient output voltage swing to fully turn on switching transistor N1. In the examples given herein, various circuits that produce auxiliary power supply voltage V_(DD) from a terminal of the LED string formed by LEDs D1A-D1Z within lighting device LD1 are shown. The terminal may be a terminal within the LED strings, or an end of the LED string, as shown. The voltage at the terminal has a substantially lower voltage, e.g., 12V-15V than the voltage across capacitor C1, e.g., 40V, so that energy is saved by not dissipating power that would otherwise be wasted by regulating auxiliary power supply voltage V_(DD) to the lower voltage.

Referring now to FIG. 2, an exemplary auxiliary power supply circuit 20A and associated topology are shown. Auxiliary power supply circuit 20A is in the form of a linear regulator provided by a Zener diode Z1 that has a Zener voltage, such that the desired 12V-15V value for auxiliary power supply voltage V_(DD) is produced at an output terminal. A filter capacitor C3 is provided to remove high-frequency components from auxiliary power supply voltage V_(DD). In auxiliary power supply circuit 20A, all of the current I_(LED) conducted through LEDs D1A-D1Z passes through one of the loads connected to auxiliary power supply voltage V_(DD) or through Zener diode Z1. However, efficiency is improved in the depicted topology, since the voltage drop from the power supply input to the cathode of Zener diode Z1 is provided across (and illuminates) LEDs D1A-D1Z, rather than through a lossy device such as a resistor or transistor.

Referring now to FIG. 3, another exemplary auxiliary power supply circuit 20B and associated topology are shown. Auxiliary power supply circuit 20B is in the form of a hysteretic regulator that alternately shunts current I_(LED) through a switch S1 except when a control signal /charge provided from flip-flop 30 indicates, when de-asserted, that the value of auxiliary power supply voltage V_(DD) has dropped below a lower threshold voltage V_(LOW) as detected by comparator K1. Comparator K1 has an output that, when asserted, sets flip-flop 30 to re-set control signal /charge, causing switch S1 to open until flip-flop 30 is reset by the output of comparator K2 indicating that auxiliary power supply voltage V_(DD) has risen above a higher threshold voltage V_(HIGH). FIG. 4 shows signals within the auxiliary power supply circuit 20B during operation. When switch S1 is in an open switching state, which occurs when the voltage across filter capacitor C3 falls below lower threshold voltage V_(LOW) at time T₀ as illustrated in FIG. 4, current I_(LED) is directed through a diode D2 to charge filter capacitor C3 until the voltage across filter capacitor C3 has risen above higher threshold voltage V_(HIGH) at time T₁, causing switch S1 to be set to a closed switching state. Comparator K1 and flip-flop 30 thus operate to control switch S1 by alternatively changing the switching state of S1 to regulate auxiliary power supply voltage V_(DD). Exemplary values of lower threshold voltage W_(LOW) and higher threshold voltage V_(HIGH) are 12V and 15V, respectively. In auxiliary power supply circuit 20B, efficiency is improved to an even greater degree than in auxiliary power supply circuit 20A of FIG. 2, in that all of the voltage drop across LEDs D1A-D1Z and auxiliary power supply 20B either charges filter capacitor C3 or illuminates LEDs D1A-D1Z.

Referring now to FIG. 5, another exemplary auxiliary power supply circuit 20C and associated topology are shown. Auxiliary power supply circuit 20C is similar to auxiliary power supply circuit 20B of FIG. 3, in that auxiliary power supply circuit 20C is in the form of a hysteretic regulator. Therefore, only differences are described below. Auxiliary power supply circuit 20C, alternately shunts current I_(LED) through switch S1 or through another switch S2, depending on an internal state of string control circuit 22C which asserts control signal illume to turn on switch S2 if lighting device LD2 is to be activated, passing current I_(LED) through lighting device LD2, and alternatively asserts control signal shunt to direct current I_(LED) to ground. Depending on the amount of intensity needed from lighting device LD2, control signal illume may only be activated for a portion of a cycle. As in auxiliary power supply circuit 20B of FIG. 3, when a control signal charge indicates that the value of auxiliary power supply voltage V_(DD) has dropped below a lower threshold voltage W_(LOW) as detected by comparator K1 and until the voltage across filter capacitor C3 has risen above higher threshold voltage V_(HIGH) as detected by comparator K2, auxiliary power supply circuit 20C asserts control signal charge, causing string control circuit 22C to de-assert control signal shunt and control signal illume in order to charge filter capacitor C3 through diode D2. The de-assertion of control signal shunt and control signal illume may be synchronized so that if control signal illume is only to be asserted for a portion of the cycle and control signal charge has been asserted, auxiliary power supply circuit 20C postpones action in response to control signal charge so that only control signal shunt is de-asserted while charging filter capacitor C3. Lighting device LD2 may, for example, be an amber LED string that is generally operated at a lower intensity than lighting device LD1 and is provided to “soften” the light provided from lighting device LD1.

Referring now to FIG. 6, another exemplary auxiliary power supply circuit 20D and associated topology are shown. Auxiliary power supply circuit 20D provides auxiliary power supply voltage V_(DD) directly from a terminal of lighting device LD1, from which any high-frequency noise is filtered by filter capacitor C3. The terminal of the LED string formed by LEDs D1A-D1Z is chosen to provide the required value of auxiliary power supply voltage V_(DD), which in the example is provided from the voltage drop across four LEDs D1W, D1X, D1Y and D1Z, which should yield an auxiliary power supply voltage V_(DD) of between 12V and 14V for LEDs that are generally used for illumination.

Referring now to FIG. 7, another exemplary auxiliary power supply circuit 20E and associated topology are shown. Auxiliary power supply circuit 20E is similar to auxiliary power supply circuit 20D of FIG. 6, except that auxiliary power supply circuit 20E also includes a hysteretic regulator similar to that provided in auxiliary power supply circuit 20B as shown in FIG. 3. Therefore, only differences are described below. In exemplary auxiliary power supply circuit 20E, rather than shunting current I_(LED) through a switch when not charging filter capacitor C3, exemplary auxiliary power supply circuit 20E uses control signal charge to activate a switch S2 only when filter capacitor C3 requires charging, thereby only disrupting current I_(LED) when auxiliary power supply voltage V_(DD) has dropped below a lower threshold voltage W_(LOW) as detected by comparator K1. The effect of activating switch S2 is to divert current from LEDs D1W, D1X, D1Y and D1Z, which would tend to decrease the intensity of those LEDs while filter capacitor C3 is charging. However, logical-OR gate OR1 can be optionally provided to synchronize the activation of flip-flop 30 so that control signal charge is only asserted when control signal sync is not asserted. Control signal sync, which can be provided from voltage sense circuit 16 of FIG. 1, has a waveform as illustrated in FIG. 8 and is inactive only at the end of the active period when the voltage across capacitor C1 may have dropped to a voltage at which the LED string within lighting device LD1 is likely to have lost forward bias, i.e., between times t₁ and t₂, then starting again at time t₃. Thus, the charging of filter capacitor C3 can be used beneficially to even the intensity produced by lighting device LD1. In the example depicted in FIG. 8, voltage V_(dim) is a leading-edge-cut dimmed voltage provided to bridge rectifier BR1 of FIG. 1, but control signal sync can also be timed with the beginning of the half-cycles of AC line voltage V_(LINE) for trailing-edge-cut dimmer outputs, or at the beginning and/or end of the half-cycles of AC line voltage V_(LINE) for applications in which AC line voltage V_(LINE) is provided directly to bridge rectifier BR1 or when dimming detector 12 of FIG. 1 detects that voltage V_(dim) is not cut (100% intensity). Control signal sync can be activated based on particular timing or voltage level of the input voltage waveform (V_(dim) or V_(LINE)).

While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to the preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing and other changes in form, and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A lighting circuit, comprising: a plurality of series-connected light-emitting diodes, wherein the series-connected light-emitting diodes are coupled between an input voltage source and an input voltage return associated with the input voltage source; a switching power converter having a magnetic storage element and a switching element for controlling a current supplied through the plurality of series-connected light-emitting diodes; a control circuit for controlling the switching element of the switching power converter, wherein a power supply input of the control circuit is provided by a power supply voltage generated from a terminal of the plurality of series-connected light-emitting diodes having a voltage substantially less than a voltage of the input voltage source; a switching circuit coupled in series with the plurality of series-connected light-emitting diodes and the input voltage source, wherein the switching circuit alternatively couples the terminal of the plurality of series-connected light-emitting diodes to the input voltage return in a first switching state and to the power supply input of the control circuit in a second switching state; and a second plurality of series-connected light-emitting diodes coupled between the switching circuit and the input voltage return, wherein the switching circuit alternatively supplies current to the second plurality of series-connected light-emitting diodes and to the power supply input.
 2. The lighting circuit of claim 1, wherein the switching circuit comprises: a switch for intermittently coupling the plurality of series-connected light-emitting diodes to the input voltage return in the first switching state; and a diode coupled between the plurality of series-connected light-emitting diodes and the power supply input of the control circuit.
 3. The lighting circuit of claim 1, further comprising a comparison circuit for controlling the switching circuit by comparing the power supply voltage to a threshold voltage, wherein the comparison circuit sets the second switching state in response to a magnitude of the power supply voltage being less than a magnitude of the threshold voltage.
 4. A method of generating an auxiliary power supply for a circuit controlling the transfer of power from an input voltage source to a lighting device comprising plurality of series-connected light-emitting diodes, the method comprising: controlling charging of a magnetic storage element from the input voltage source and discharging of the magnetic storage element to apply energy stored in the magnetic storage element to provide a voltage across the plurality of series-connected light-emitting diodes, wherein the controlling is performed by a control circuit that controls a switching circuit coupled to the magnetic storage element; and generating a power supply voltage supplied to a power supply input of the control circuit from a terminal of the plurality of series-connected light-emitting diodes having a voltage substantially less than a voltage supplied across the plurality of series-connected light-emitting diodes, wherein the generating comprises alternatively coupling the terminal of the plurality of series-connected light-emitting diodes to the input voltage return in a first switching state, to the power supply input of the control circuit in a second switching state and to a second plurality of series-connected light-emitting diodes in a third switching state.
 5. The method of claim 4, wherein the generating further comprises: comparing the power supply voltage to a threshold voltage; and setting the second switching state in response to a magnitude of the power supply voltage being less than a magnitude of the threshold voltage.
 6. An integrated circuit for operating a lighting circuit comprising a plurality of series-connected light-emitting diodes coupled between an input voltage source and an input voltage return associated with the input voltage source by a switching power converter, the integrated circuit comprising: a control circuit for controlling a switching element of the switching power converter; and an auxiliary power supply input terminal for receiving a connection from another terminal of the plurality of series-connected light-emitting diodes having a voltage substantially less than a voltage of the input voltage source; an auxiliary power supply circuit for generating a voltage from the auxiliary power supply input terminal to provide a power supply voltage at a power supply input of the control circuit, wherein the auxiliary power supply circuit comprises a switching circuit coupled in series with the plurality of series-connected light-emitting diodes and the input voltage source, wherein the switching circuit alternatively couples the auxiliary power supply input terminal to the input voltage return in a first switching state and to the power supply input of the control circuit in a second switching state; and a lighting current output terminal for connection to a second plurality of series-connected light-emitting diodes, and wherein the switching circuit alternatively supplies current to the lighting current output terminal and to the power supply input.
 7. The integrated circuit of claim 6, wherein the switching circuit comprises: a switch for intermittently coupling the auxiliary power supply input terminal to the input voltage return in the first switching state; and a diode coupled between the auxiliary power supply input terminal and the power supply input of the control circuit.
 8. The integrated circuit of claim 6, further comprising a comparison circuit for controlling the switching circuit by comparing the power supply voltage to a threshold voltage, wherein the comparison circuit sets the second switching state in response to a magnitude of the power supply voltage being less than a magnitude of the threshold voltage. 